sea 
THE BUBAL WEW-YOBKER. 
AUG. a 6 
} 
Utafaci for t|r fjottitg. 
GREETING TO THE ROBIN. 
Good morning, little robin ! 
I heard yon sweetly siutf, 
Before 1 rose this jBorninfr 
You’re early on the wine. 
Oh say, where are you jroiny, 
With straws held in your beak 1 
1 know a nest you’re building, 
1 wish that you could speak. 
I'd like to gret acquainted, 
Sweet robin now with yon. 
But robin would not listeu, 
And quick away she flew. 
—Sophia C. Garrett. 
---— 
THE HERMIT THRUSH. 
Away In the quiet country places, when the 
farmer boy’s chores are done, and he lias bathed 
his rosy face and brushed his hair at the little 
glass by the kitchen window, and with his straw 
hat for a fan, sits on the broad stone Etep through 
the short hours of twilight, from the forest away 
on the hillside comes to him the clear song of our 
American nightingale, the Hermit Thrush (called 
by Nuttall Turdus SolitanusJ- Could I onlygjve 
you a few measures from Its warbling song, you 
would instantly recognize my little favorite, for it 
is an inhabitant of every part or the United States, 
and as good authority as Nuttall says its song Is 
scarcely less b8autirul than that of Its English 
cousin, the nightingale. 
Just as the sun la setting, seat y ottself near some 
shady grove or forest, and you will bo sure to hear 
the most wlerd. wJtohing of all bird songs. But 
he Is a very shy, quiet reilow, and one seldom sees 
him unless carefully on the lookout. J have heard 
his song ringing from bill to hilt away lu the 
depths of mountain forests, but could never find 
the minstrel, until walking one day In central 
Park, a friend pointed him out to me as he walked 
quietly about Intent on his own dinner. 
From its solitary habits this bird has been given 
the name of Hermit Thrush, never going In com¬ 
panies, but walking Us quiet ways alone. 
The thrush Is about the Blze of the common 
robin, though rather more slim, and of the form 
of the cat-bird, all three belonging to the same 
family, aud of similar characteristics. Color 
above, plain, deep olive-brown; upper part of the 
breast and throat, cream color; the dusky brown 
penclllated spots carried over the breast aud 
under the wlDgs, where the sides are pale olive; 
tail short and ernarglnale; short, black bill, and 
black, wise eyes, that give you an honest, Inquir¬ 
ing look, and then seem to forger, your presence 
altogether. 
The thrush, like the cat bird, builds her nest In 
trees or shrubBnear the ground. It Is composed 
of dry grasses, sticks, aud leaves, but Is rather 
more compactly built, and Is neally lined with 
fine grasses, in which we Jind from four to six 
light-blue eggs, sprinkled with blotches toward 
the larger end, and very like the robin’s eggs, that 
almost every boy and girl has peeped over into 
Sir Robin's mud house and counted over and over 
again, until some day four little yellow mouths 
were opened, and the blue eggs had disappeared. 
I don’t think 1 will ceil you what the thrush eats 
for his dinner, only that his dessert consists or 
berries and cherries with the ripest hearts, or 
grapes of the softest purple. He Is a dainty fellow 
when he comes to consider dessert, and does not 
fancy half-ripe fruits. Perhaps, beiug a singer, he 
fears to Injure the tone of his sweet, clear voice. 
MAtrnt! Meredith. 
-♦- 
MESSINA QUAIL. 
The Messina Quail, a new bird to America Is 
being imported by .sportsmen and turned loose In 
several looalUles. TUe following Is a description 
of It: 
“In size It Is about ou e-half as large as the Eu¬ 
ropean partridge (Perdlx ciuerea) and three-fifths 
as large as our * 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 * 10 11 quail’’—partridge—(Ortyx vlr- 
ginianua:) Is very compactly built, with great 
speed In running and a powerful aud iong-contlu- 
ued flight, enabling 11 to cross large bodies of 
water in Us migration. The bill is longer and 
more slender than is our Ortyx vlrglntanus. The 
color Is brown, striped with reddish-yellow on the 
upper parts of the body; the head Is darker than 
the back, the throat reddish-brown, and the region 
of f lie cio]) reddish-yellow. A pale yellowish line 
passes from the base of the tipper mandible, over 
the eye and down the sides of the neck across the 
throat, where It is banded by two narrow dark- 
b:cwn lines. The blackish-brown primary quills 
are spotted with reddish-yellow In such a manner 
as to form stripes. The first quill has also a nar¬ 
row yellow border. The reddish - yellow tall 
fearners have white shafts, and are spotted with 
black at their edgqp. The length is T j,: Inches, and 
expanse or wing 13 Inches. The tall Is 1T Inches 
long. This Is the male. In the female all these 
colors are comparatively Indistinct. The bird Is 
very hardy. These have been three months in the 
packing crates, and none have been lost. All seem 
to be la a vigorous condition. As a food bird It Is 
excellent, and InEurope esteemed a great delicacy. 
It lays well before the dog, and gives fine sport for 
the sportsman, and he who kiUs thorn on the wing 
must be quick and true. The species Is very pro¬ 
lific, and, under favorable conditions, It is expected 
they will become one of the bird features of this 
locality. The nest Is made on the ground, like the 
partridge, and fourteen or fifteen white eggs are 
deposited. 
--- 
ROSE CUTTINGS. 
Those of our young readers who wish to increase 
heir stock of roses can do so by transplanting the 
suckers when the rose is on Its own stock, but if 
not, or the suckers are not abundant, the simplest 
plan Is to propagate by cuttings. The cuttings 
should be taken In Autumn and should be about 
six inches long and or the season’s growth. The 
lower end should be cut sauare close to a bud and 
set thickly together, two-thlrdB their length in 
sand In a light, dry cellar during the Wluter. 
They should be planted out as early as practi¬ 
cable In the Spring In a light,sandy loam, with one 
bud and one-third the length of the cutting above 
ground. The earth should be packed closely 
about them, and It the weather Is dry they should 
be carefully watered in the evening. 
For the more delicate varieties the cuttings 
should be placed In pots In a Gellar, and early In 
Spring the pots should be placed lu a house 
with a moderate temperature and sprinkled every 
morning with tepid water and shaded from t he sun 
until rooted. 
♦ « » 
THE BABY PLANT. 
A Portland, Oregon, paper says that one of the 
strangest and most Interesting flowering plants 
ever brought to tbts country is on exhibition at 
Mr. Shanahan’s Madison street store. It is said to 
be Indigenous to .Japan. Its technical term has 
not been ascertained, but It Is known, and appro¬ 
priately so, as the “ Baby Plant.” It Is of the 
genus lllly, somethlmes attaining a highl of four 
feet, and blossoms seml-annually. The one of 
which we write is, however, not more than twelve 
inches in hight, with leaves about Blx inches long 
and two inches wide. The flower is star-shaped, 
having tlvc petals of a handsome brown and yellow 
color. The calyx encircles and protects a tiny 
little figure that bears an exact resemblance to a 
nude baby, Its little arms and legs outstretched, 
and tlie eyes distinctly marked. Hovering over 
this diminutive rorm is a small canopy, angel- 
shaped. having extended wings and peering close¬ 
ly into the face of the Infant. The plant was 
examined by large crowds yesterday and people 
who have a penchant for floriculture will find this 
an Interesting study. 
[Our correspondent has our thanks for sending 
us this Item. u. m.] 
■ *»« » - 
AN EAGLE THAT RIDES DOGS. 
.Some three months ago, while hunting in the 
mountains east of Twelve-Mile House, Mr. Buffing¬ 
ton of San Jose, Cal., captured a young American 
eagle when It was but a few weeks old. He has his 
pet conflued in the back yard of his shop, and- the 
many and curious monkey shines Indulged In by 
the mountain bird are amusing. Measuring now 
some eight feet from tip to tip and weighing 40 
pounds, with talons three inches in length, there 
Is but small chance tor any dogs In the neighbor¬ 
hood, For as sure as the dog makes his appear¬ 
ance the eagle spreads his wings, and, with a loud 
scream, lights ou the back of the terror-stricken 
animal. The dog, without further notice, darts 
through the side-gate and Into the street, with the 
eagle attached to his back. Down street he goes 
at a break-neck speed. At a. distance of about 
two blocks the eagle bids the dog an affectionate 
adieu and quietly returns as though nothing had 
happened. The same experiment Is gone through 
with whenever the dog appears. It. does not seem 
necessary to remark that dogs or any description 
are seldom seen In that part of the town, and the 
same dog seldom more than once. It would be a 
blessing to our city if we had one such bird on 
each block. It would save our pound-master 
much unnecessary trouble. 
- ♦ ♦♦ 
A TAME PARTRIDGE. 
It lias generally been supposed that partridges 
could not, or not easily be tamed, but a correspon¬ 
dent reports that: ■“Visitors to Coldbrook springs 
In Massachusetts are shown a curiosity, about one 
mile from the hotel, In the shape ot a tame par¬ 
tridge. A young man escorts the guest6 to a little 
opening where some lumber has been plied- Tak¬ 
ing a stick he raps upon the boards; once, twice, 
several times he emphatically disturbs the still¬ 
ness ot the adjacent woods, in response a fine 
fat partridge walks forth from the underbrush. 
The guide feeds him with berries, catches him, 
caresses him, and then allows him to loltow ror 
a short distance. This, indeed, is a rare bird. He 
has kept thus familiar with man for two years. 
Caught at first when young by a sllp-noose, and 
somewhat familiarized with human beings, he 
now holds his home In the woods and loves to 
come out, when the teams axe at work, lighting 
now on the horses and then on the wagpns.” 
-- 
LETTERS FROM THE COUSINS. 
Hear Uncle Mark:— I will write and toll you of 
nty successes and failures In growing the seeds 
you so kindly sent me, for which 1 thank you. 
None of the portulacca seed germinated, and this 
is the only total failure, although the phlox were 
a partial one. 1 have five little plants which are 
just beginning to blossom, though they were sown 
early In the Spring. I think the reason of their 
being so late was leaving them so long In the seed 
bed, tor as soon as they were transplanted to the 
opeu ground they grew rapidly. 
The mignonette was sown In the open ground 
and grows and blossoms luxuriantly. The China 
Pinks were sown In a box and placed In a sunny 
window until they were large enough to trans¬ 
plant to the flower bed, where they are growing 
nicely and are full oi buds and blossoms, which 
are or rich colors and velvety appearance. 
The melons are doing nicely, and I hope soon to 
test their quality. From the six okra seeds I have 
five flourishing plants which have an abundance 
or seed pods. We cooked some, but none of the 
family seem to like them. Will some of the coua- 
ns or EmUy Maple please give their receipt for 
cooking okra ? 
The double hollyhocks sent by the Rural last 
year are doing nicely. The flowers are pure white 
and very pretty. W’e have 30 different varieties 
ot flowers this Summer. Among those which are 
doing the best are geraniums, Perennial Cypress, 
mignonette, pansies, portulacas, petunias, pinks, 
etc. At what time should cuttings of roses be 
planted? Again, thanking you for the seeds, I am 
yours truly. Nell. 
Niagara Co. 
[We give recipe for okra soup In household col¬ 
umn. See also article on rose cuttings below.— 
n. M.J 
Dear Uncle Mark: The seeds you sent me 
have given me much pleasure. My muskmelons 
are doing nicely. I have four plants or okra. The 
pods are getting quite largo. I have not. picked 
aDy of them, as 1 wished them for seed for another 
year I have a bed of peanuts growing; also a 
radcilsh bed. My pinks are very handsome. The 
coxcomb Is growing very thrifty, but has no blos¬ 
soms on It yet. Phlox, mignonette, portulacaand 
gladiolus are lu full bloom. I take all the care of 
my flowers and vegetables out of school hours, 
ami I would be pleased to have you see them. I 
will close with my best wishes to you. 
Lewis Co., N. Y. Freddie Jl. Loudks. 
Dear Uncle:Mark : l am a boy 13 years of age. 
1 never wrote to you before. Pa takes the Rural 
and I like It real well. 1 can hardly wait from one 
mall till another till 11 comes. I would like to join 
the Horticultural Club. We have a great many 
flowers this year; we have Dahlias, Dlanthus, 
Double red pink, spotted Balsams, Gladiolus, Por- 
tulucas, Asters, both dwarf and tall, Pansies and 
many other varieties. It takes some labor to grow 
flowers, but they pay It back In their beauty, l 
would like to exchaugc Aster seed for Verbena 
seed, or dwarf Dahlia bulbs, next Fall. Your af¬ 
fectionate nephew, Roeert Perry. 
Dunn Co., WIs. 
Dear Uncle Mark I am a little girl five years 
old 1 like to read the cousins’ letters very well. 
I want to Join the Horticultural club. We have a 
great many flowers this Summer. 1 help mamma 
to weed them. I love Balsams and Dlanthus and 
Dslillnsbest. Your little niece, Gertie Perry. 
Dunn Co., WIs. 
[The youngest member of our club.] u. m. 
ikx. 
LITERARY ENIGMA.-(53 letters.) 
Wreck of the fallen world, 8,18, 43, 23,33, 4. 
So twilight deepened round us, l, 39, is, so. 21, 
19, 3, 52. 
Ah, ’twere a lot too blest forever In thy colored 
shades to stray, SO, 4,63, 6, 27, 3S. 
For as the whale round earth Is every way bound 
by gold chains about the feet ot God, s, 15, u, 35, 
3T, 28, 22, 20. 
I come, i come, ye have called me long, 2, 5,10, 
25.51, 20. 
Christian faith is like a cathedral with divinely 
pictured wludows, 2, 26, 49, 8, 2, 33, i, 27, 47. 
The organ heaved Its surges to aud fro, 12 , 33,34, 
60,12, 12. 
To gaze In eyes that here wore lovellt only, 31, 
30, 40, 40,10,42, II. 
It, is so sweet to live my little life to-day, 14, 29, 
10, 30, 48, 12, 12. 
The night has a thousand eyes, 36, 22, 9, 4, 32, 
19.12.12.33.11. 
Blessed are they also who expect nothing for 
they shall not be disappointed, 28 , 41, 45,17, 30. 
None but. t he brave deserve the fair, 24, 4, 43, 24, 
3.11. 
The whole Is a selection from Longfellow. 
U5?"Answer In two weeks. Mary E. Bixby. 
-*♦«- 
HIDDEN CRIMES. 
1. How big Amy has become. 
2. 1 live In Carson City. 
3. To avoid sin Fautl, cider should not be drank. 
4. How my heart does lluob, Beryl. 
5. Mat R. 1 cl ed ll away. 
6. In 1‘lirsburgli laryngitis exists. 
7. It was a lemur Derwent shot. 
8. 1 hear a man’s laugh, Terry. 
9 l gather grapes lor wine. 
10 . I wonder if ltatlc idealizes. 
11. In the forge rye straw took tire. 
12. 1 saw Benias, Saul, Tun, D. Batt, Ery and 
Tom. 
13. You act singular, Ceny. 
14. The It. meant fool. 
15 Let them btzzle. Mental work Is not easy. 
Answer In two weeks. l. o. 
-- 
DIAMOND PUZZLE. 
l, A letter; 2, to cheat; 3, a kind of light stuff 
or which the warp la silk aud the woof Is wool ; 4, 
the kidney-bean; 6, a city of Arabia; o, a river of 
Peru; 7, a letter. Gus. 
Vfr Answer in two weeks. 
PUZZLER ANSWERS.-Aug. 14. 
* ♦ 
Numerical Enigma.— UUoiulroi>terygcouH. 
Half Square 
A 
s 
o 
A 
R E 
I 8 
S 
8 C A R I 
T APES 
ARE T 
E X 
T 
Drop Letter Puzzle.—B e not wise in your own 
conceit. 
THE LOOM OF LIFE. 
All day, all night, I can hear the Jar, 
Of the loom of life, and near and far 
It thrills with its deep and muffled sound, 
As tirelesBtho wheels go always round. 
Busily, ceaselessly goes tho loom, 
In the light of day and tho midnight’s gloom; 
Aud the wheels are turning early and late, 
And the woof is wound iu the warp of fate. 
(’lick, click 1—there's a thread of love woven in; 
Click, click ! another of wrong and sin; 
What a checkered thing this life will be 
When we see It uurollod in eternity ! 
When shall this wouderf ul web be done ? 
tu a thou sand years, perhaps, or one. 
Or tomorrow'. Who kuowuth ? Not you nor I: 
But the wheels turn on and the shuttles fly. 
All, sad-eyed weavers, the years are slow, 
But each one is nearer the ond, I know; 
And soon the last thread shall bo woven in- 
God grant it be love instead of sin. 
Are we spinners of good in this life-web—say ? 
Do we furnish the weaver a thread each day t 
It, were better then, O,my friends, to spin 
A lteautiful thread than a thread of sin. 
■ -- 
PRAYER. 
" To say my prayers is not to pray 
Unless I mean the words I say; 
Unless I think to whom I speak, 
And with my heart His favor seek. 
“ In prayer we speak to God above, 
We seek the blessed Saviour's love; 
We ask for pardon for our sin, 
And grace to koep us pure within. 
" But oh, if 1 am found to smile, 
Or play, or look about awhile, 
Or think vain thoughts, tho Lord will see, 
And how can he be pleased with me ? 
'• Then, let me, when I try to pray. 
Not only mind the words T say, 
But let me strive, with earnest care, 
To have my heart go with my prayer.” 
CONSCIENCE. 
Conscience is sometimes regarded and spoken 
of as a separate and distinct principle In the mind, 
placed there to warn us when we do wrong, and 
to approve wliat Is right, lienee It Is called God’s 
vicegerent, an Inward monitor, and various other 
names expressing its use and its claims. This 
view of conscience. It must be remembered, is only 
a figure of speech, neither telling us what, con¬ 
science really Is, nor how It operates, nor giving 
help to enable us to employ those means which may 
enable conscience to act most correctly and use¬ 
fully. 
The truth Is that conscience Is not a distinct 
principle, or something separate from the mind, 
but Is nothing more than the mind or understand¬ 
ing itself acting In a particular manner, Just as 
judgment Is really the mind judging, memory Is 
the mind remembering, perception Is the mind 
perceiving. So conscience Is really the mind act¬ 
ing in a particular manner, passing judgment on 
the actions or affections of the Individual himself, 
according to some received standard of right and 
wrong; and to the mind so In action the name of 
conscience Is applied. 
Another mistaken opinion about conscience, it 
Is necessary to notice. Sometimes It is spoken of 
as a law of action. Itself pointing out what Is right 
as distinguished from that, which Is wrong. But 
conscience Is not a law. It. Is more like a Judge. 
And as a Judge does not make law, but only de¬ 
clares or expounds what Is law, so does conscience, 
having already an out ward standard ot right and 
wrong to go by, compare a man’s own action with 
it, and pronounce a decision ot right or wrong, 
according to their agreement with or contrariety 
to the same. 
Now the importance of these corrections or cau¬ 
tions will be evident. Every one is prone to plead 
conscience when wishing to defend some line of 
conduct. But this plea is valid only when con¬ 
science is really brought into exercise, and when 
the standard by which conscience makes Its Judg¬ 
ment Is on the side of truth, justice and right. 
-- 
Out of tub Garden.— There Is a beautllul gar¬ 
den lu which God places every child that crosses 
the boundaries of life and enters this world. It is 
the Garden of Innocence. It is like the Eden of 
Adam and five. A tree of the knowledge of good 
and evil is In It. The fruit of the tree of file grows 
there. Natan has found his way Into It, too. No 
angel la there to drive the child out. God does 
not forbid It there. But there Is one door out of 
this garden. It is the door of sin. And out from 
this garden of Innocenco, through this door of 
sin, Into the realm of guilt, the children are passing, 
one by one. They find this door without guidance; 
for His wide, and always opeu. They cross Its 
threshold without compulsion. What a mercy 
it is that the canopy of Christ's atonement hangs 
over all this outer realm of guilt Into which our 
dear children are straying with heedless feet! 
What, a Joy It la that on the thorniest road 
and in the darkest, ravine the Good Shepard 
is going to and fro, “ to seek and to save that 
which was lost!—Evangelical Messenger. 
■ 4 »» ■ 
Death Is not the cruel monster that we deem 
him. He is one of God’s brightest angels, sent 
from heaven to bring home some loved one of 
earth. So bright are his robes that their glare 
would blind us were they uot covered with a sable 
mantle. 
♦ * ♦ - 
We should act with as much energy as those 
who expect every thing from themselves, and we 
should pray with as much earnestness as those 
who expect every thing from God. 
